Tuesday June 19th, 2012

Posted at 10:15am

The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for archival purposes.

Plans are in the works for a full repair of Ottawa Street. As we told you last week, the City of Windsor was looking to spend only $500,000 to repave and repair a small stretch of Ottawa Street from Windermere to Gladstone.

Administrators at the Ottawa Street Business Improvement Area however were hoping the City would recommend spending an amount of more than $1 million to completely redo a larger section of the street in one shot.

At the City of Windsor’s Capital Budget Meeting held Monday night at City Hall, Ottawa Street BIA director Arnie Blaine spoke to Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis and city councillors and described the conditions on Ottawa Street.

“The street has not been repaved since 1983,” said Blaine, “that’s 29 years ago.”

“The crosswalks have become a trip hazard as they have deteriorated over the decades.” Blaine pointed out that Erie Street has been repaved twice over the last 15 years, that millions were spent on Downtown, Wyandotte Street East, a pool, an arena and other projects and asked, “when did we become the unwanted neighbour?”

Recognizing the importance of repairing the roadway in the vibrant Ottawa Street community, Mayor Francis remarked to Blaine “you should go and buy a lottery ticket, this may be your lucky day” and announced that he had found a funding possibility for nearly $2 million to repair the street fully.

City Administrators will prepare a new report outlining a plan to access additional budgetary funds to allow for Ottawa Street to be repaved and streetscaped between Windermere and Pierre.